


Blind to Love

by LadyoftheLillies



Category: Little Women (2019), Little Women Series - Louisa May Alcott
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Jealousy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:20:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25053040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyoftheLillies/pseuds/LadyoftheLillies
Summary: What if Fred never proposed? This is a take on Amy and Laurie's trip through Europe and Amy's "unrequited" love for Laurie through the years.
Relationships: John Brooke/Margaret March, Theodore Laurence/Amy March
Comments: 17
Kudos: 177





	Blind to Love

**Author's Note:**

> This is mostly book compliant. Yes, yes this Laurie does not look like Timothee Chalamet I'M SORRY.

Amy wanted to hate Laurie, she truly did. Because hate was an easier bedfellow than love.  
Love, love was a point of interest from many writers, poets, and painter. As an aspiring painter herself, Amy thought when she fell in love, it would be as wondrous and colorful as the plays and paintings make it out to be.

She had no idea it would make her feel so terrible. Amy always prided herself on her looks, her feet, and her ability to become the center of attention in almost any room. She did not know romantic love could take away all the esteem you'd built for yourself over your life.

As Amy worked on herself, to be perfect in Aunt March's and societies' eyes, Jo had no such burdens. Jo laughed and lived as herself, a beacon of something not found in other girls during this day and age. Many times Amy has sat at dinner, or in the living room with her family, and watched Jo just be Jo. Amy watched Jo telling magnificent stories she'd created herself, she watched Jo throw her head back in boisterous laughter, and perhaps most of all, Amy has watched Jo garner the attention of the boy she loved without even trying.

Amy could not count how many times she'd observed the two of them, the girl with a golden brown mane and the Italian boy with dark eyebrows. They were loud and filled with laughter and orbited around each other. 

Amy, although, did pride herself on being able to become Laurie's friend. Sometimes, the two of them could have together without the addition of Jo. Like the time Amy stayed at Aunt March's when Beth was first diagnosed with Scarlet Fever. But more often than not, whenever Jo returned from whatever errand that forced her to be away from home, Laurie's eyes would light up and follow her, leaving Amy.

It is many instances like that that make Amy question why Laurie is now hanging around in Europe with her, and not in America with Jo. Although she knew Jo said no, Amy knows Laurie is a prideful and eager creature. Nothing can stop him once he sets his mind or heart on something. 

But he seemed disheartened, in a way Amy had never seen before. He was not disheartened when John and Meg got married, nor was he at the wedding when a guest insulted him behind his back about his Italian hot-bloodiness and he spent the remaining time following her around with devotion.

But that was a while ago, when they were surrounded by family and friends and Jo had not said no to Laurie. Amy tried to be as good a friend as she could be. Which meant she was telling him everything he was doing wrong, and she let him follow her around.

"What are you sketching now, miss Raphaella?" Laurie inquired, snapping Amy out of her reverie. The two of them were sitting on a blanket in on the beach in Nice, France.   
You, Amy almost said, always you.

"The coast line. Although, it is pretty useless to draw a setting sun with a pencil." Amy said instead, shifting her skirts to rest the wooden board on her lap more comfortably.  
"Shall we go get the paints and a canvas?" Laurie asked, his eyes narrowed against the remaining sunlight.

Amy chuckled. "Not unless you volunteer to bring me all my supplies from the house and trek them to me here." 

Laurie beat his chest. "I dare say I do."

Amy laughed a bit louder and tugged on his shoulder to keep him from jumping to his feet. "It is no matter," She said. "The sun will set anyway soon, and it will be by the time you are back. Besides, do you intend to leave me alone of the coast of France?"

Laurie threw himself back down on the blanket they had set out, "You have got me there Miss March. I cannot leave such a fair maiden as you out for these vultures." He said, casting an unsavory glance to everyone else on the beach. "If not for me I daresay they would have swarmed and eaten you hole by now."

Amy shook her head. "I doubt that." Though part of her did not, she knew how her blonde hair looked and the sight her blue dress sleeves falling against her shoulder.  
Laurie shook his head as well, though for him it was to get the tan specks of sand out of his black waves. 

He looked so beautiful then, without even trying. Perhaps he learned that trait from Jo. Here he was, just reclining lazily like cat on a whipped blanket covered in sand, his coat discarded in favor of wearing his dress shirt and waist coast. The sleek front of the waist coast glared with gold against the setting sun's rays. His olive skin was coated in pale sand and dark freckles. His eyes, some days the color of Onyx, and on other days, sunny says such as this one, his eyes were coffee brown. Without trying, he was the epitome of beauty. Amy liked to compare herself to the ancient Greeks, always wishing she had a Greek nose. At times when she felt her prettiest, she figured herself Aphrodite, but now she is not so sure. Had Aphrodite looked as such as Laurie when she crested the ocean waves? Is their beauty on par?

Amy's hand itched the sketch this moment, but Laurie was sitting too close. He might see the drawing and understand the feelings she was putting into it. And that was perhaps Amy's greatest nightmare. Laurie was Jo's, and would always be. They were apart now, but Amy was sure the moment they reunited they would be better than ever. Perhaps Jo would want to marry him, then. Neither of them could ever know how Amy felt. Amy always figured when she died she would be in a lovely dress, pearls, and a veil, but she never thought she'd take love to the grave too, but alas.

"Amy," Laurie said, and Amy realized he had been calling out to her.

"Yes, Laurie?"

"'You've drifted off." He said, smiling yet worried. He sat up, close to her. 

Amy shrugged her shoulders, trying to regain sense of self. "I am becoming tired."

"Shall we head back?" Laurie said, already standing up and offering her a hand. "It is better we do so now, Aunt March will be aggrieved if we miss dinner."

Amy took it but pulled back once she was on her feet. Carefully shaking the sand off her skirts, Amy held the sketchpad to herself and they walked, Laurie loosely holding the blanket.

Amy heard whispers from the other beach-goers as they walked away   
"What a lovely couple, oh I remember being that young..."

Amy walked faster.

"Shall we see a play tonight?" Laurie asked, catching up with Amy. 

Amy frowned. "I thought you said Aunt March would become angry if we missed dinner?"

Laurie shrugged and smiled mischievously. Mischief, a trait Aunt March claims Laurie has due to his Italian side.   
"Unless you are hungry yourself, I am not famished in the slightest. Let us forgo an evening of Aunt March's tales of incompetent Frenchmen and go see Hamlet." Laurie offered her his arm, beckoning.

Amy eyed his arm with weariness before giving in, sliding her arm through his. "Fine," She said, and Laurie smiled at her.  
"But we must not stay out too late, I want to have a goodnight sleep. Fred is coming round tomorrow and I must not have tired lines on my face. Beauty sleep is essential, if you must know." Amy said, starting to get excited at the idea of a play. Of course, these plays were not at all on par with the ones she and her sisters made, but alas they were enjoyable.

Laurie's face suddenly became pinched. "Fred is coming, is he?"

Amy blinked, nodding. "Yes, I thought you knew. Why do ask like that, have the two of you hit a rough patch in your friendship?"

Laurie looked away, shaking his head. "None at all." He said uncharacteristically apathetic.

"Okay, well good." Amy said, still unnerved.

Fred was...Fred was good. He was rich and handsome and genuinely liked Amy. As she thought of Fred, she began to feel guilty about her previous thoughts of Laurie, but she could not turn off that side of her brain that spouted poetry about her childhood knight in shining armor. She hoped desperately one day it would stop.  
She wanted to be Laurie's friend, instead of his friend's little sister than had a crush on him. She was more mature than that, and she would prove it.

Although, Laurie's mood did not improve as the night went on.

Everything came to a snag when Beth died. The months leading up to the event were stressful, what with Amy and Laurie quarreling about the direction of his future. But none of that seemed to matter when Amy received the letter of her sister's passing.

Laurie was there of course, and together with his grandfather they sailed back to America. 

Marmee, Father, Jo, Meg, and John were at the house, awaiting their arrival. They exchanged condolences and hugs and memories. For the first time in years Amy looked upon her family, at the ways they had changed.  
Jo's hair had grown out, although not nearly as long as it had been during their childhood. Amy did not know how to react to Jo, since their last meeting had been soured with the news it was Amy to go to Europe and not Jo. However, grief was good at showing what truly mattered in life, and Jo and Amy embraced.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here." Amy said into Jo's hair.

Jo's grip tightened on Amy. "It was for the best. It is what Beth wanted."

After that, they all sat to eat dinner, the mood only lightening when talking of travels and new friends. Amy spoke of the art she'd seen and the museums she'd toured. Laurie interjected many times, seeing as he had been with her for most of those expenditures. The two of them would get into a row about how the day actually played out or what the meaning of the art they'd seen truly meant. Everyone at the table watched their interaction like a tennis match. Their fighting was more than that of a brother and sisterly relation they'd had during youth. Marmee and the March's dad shared a look.

Laurie and Jo were still awkward around each other, much to Amy's subtle horror. She'd known they would have to resolve this, their lives too interwoven. It would not be long before they dissapeared off alone together, to work it out. Amy's stomach was uneasy at the thought.

And after dinner they did just that, walking towards the attic Jo had long ago made her space.

Amy sat next to her mother, resting her head on her like a child. 

"Oh my Amy," Marmee said, "How I have missed you."

Amy would not cry. Refined women did not cry. At least according to Aunt March.

Meg sat down on the other side of Amy, wrapping her arm around her younger sister's shoulders. "You must show me all your new gowns. If I am going to live vicariously through someone, it is you." She added in a whisper. Amy giggled.

"How is the married life?" Amy asked instead. "John had left with Demi and Daisy, so you may be honest."

Marmee and Meg laughed, Marmee swatting Amy fondly. 

"It is lovely." Meg said, leaning back against the couch with a dreamy look in her eyes. She turned to Amy. "Although we may not have riches and servants, we have each other. It is a lot of work, but I have someone who adores me to wake up to every morning."

Amy sighed wistfully. 

Meg elbowed Amy. "Speaking of marriage, has Mr. Fred Vaughn proposed yet?"

Everyone else in the room, who had been in their own conversations, quieted.

Amy shook her head. "Not yet. But...Aunt March said she'd heard rumors that it would be soon."

Meg squealed. "Oh Amy isn't it wonderful!" She hugged her sister. "You will be married and live life as a lavished artist with a man who so clearly adores you."  
Amy tried to get with her sister's enthusiasm but all she felt was a twist in her gut.

Jo and Laurie came down the stairs, looking as jovial as they had in their youth. Laurie's dark eyes were bright and Jo was smiling wider than she probably had in months.   
"Well you two look happy." Marmee commented, casting Amy a side glance. 

"Oh, Marmee it has been far too long. We have let time and distance dig burrows between us, but alas we have crossed them." Jo said smiling and sitting on the arm of their couch.

"Cheers to that," Dad said, and him and Grandfather Laurence clinked glasses. 

"I see the happy mood is not lost down here," Jo inquired.

"Fred is going to propose to Amy soon," Meg clapped her hands together. "I have been looking forward to another wedding."

Jo's eyes brows raised. "Oh, Amy are you going to say yes?"

Meg swatted Jo. "Of course she is."

Jo threw herself at Amy. "No I shall not let it happen. You must stay my Amy forever. It is bad enough I had to hand over Meg to Mr. Brookes. But not you. Fred shall have to rip you from my clutches."

Amy laughed, but when she looked up she saw Laurie scowling. 

"Laurie?" His grandfather inquired.

Laurie said, "So you have made up your mind."

Amy thought of Laurie and Jo dissapearing up to the attic. "I suppose I have."

Laurie's face twisted in cruel way, his dark eyes once alight with happiness alight with anger. "Well, I do not suppose I can make it the wedding. My apologies, but I cannot support a marriage based on money and social status."

Amy's mouth dropped, as did everyone else's. 

And with that, Laurie turned with a flourish and walked out. 

"Well," Grandfather Laurence said after a moment of stunned silence, "Laurie has always had a flourish for the dramatics, hasn't he?" He coughed.

"Amy," Jo said, also surprised. "what have you done to our boy?"

Once Amy finished stammering like a fish out of water, she shot to her feet and chased Laurie.  
He was well down the road, his shoulders hunched to his ears.

"Theodore Laurence!" Amy shouted, running up to him.

"Leave me Amy." Laurie said without looking back.

"No! You cannot say such words to me and then walk away!" She made it up to him, much this his surprised.   
She took a deep breath. "I am not marrying Fred for his money, I am not as selfish and greedy as you think I am!" She snapped, though she knew the words were underlying lies.

Laurie's face twisted again. "So you love him then, as the poets love their muses?"

Amy faltered. "I," She stammered, "I could." She looked at her feet. "It does not matter, does it?"

"Of course it matters!" Laurie said. "I know marriage is an economic proposition for you, but Amy I know you and your family. You cannot marry without love!"

"Why do you care?" Amy said, becoming so sad and angry. "My marriage is none of your concern. Shouldn't you be focusing on you and Jo?"

"Jo?" Laurie asked. "What does Jo have to do with this?"

"You have no right to insult my love life when you cannot fix your own!" Amy said, feeling mean.

Laurie's face darkened, with sadness or anger, Amy could not tell. "I do not love Jo. Not as I did nor as I thought I did."

And that, that caused Amy's mind to crash to a sudden halt. Because there was no version of reality where Laurie did not love Jo.  
"You don't mean that," Amy whispered. 

"I do," Laurie said, stepping up in Amy's space. "I do not love her. I do not wish to marry her. Amy I-" He sucked in a breathe. "I wish to marry you."

Amy took a step back, shaking her head. "No you do not, you are just- you are just replacing her with me."

Laurie shook his head furiously. "I am not. As we traveled through Europe together Amy I realized you are the person I am meant to be with. I feel like a clockwork machine, and you are the piece I did not know was necessary to my being. I cannot imagine being away from you, and if I must be I must be damned." He took another deep breath and reached for her hands. "I love you, Amy."

Amy swallowed and thought of her past self, the part of her that will always remember Laurie loved Jo first. But alas, the way he looked at her today made her realized Laurie loved her now, and if she said yes, he would love her forever. She held his heart in her hands she realized, as her peered at her naive and longing hope. Laurie had always been wild with his emotions.

"Yes." Amy said.

Laurie frowned. "What?"

"Yes, I will marry you." Amy said, straightening her shoulders.

Laurie was shell shocked for a good minute. So long rain started to drizzle down on them. Then, a smile broke out across his face and embraced her in his arms, spinning her round and round.


End file.
